- We Stand for an Inclusive Economy
- The Gig Economy and The New Era Workforce, A CALED-CAMEO Webinar
- Federal Budget Update: a Continuing Resolution was passed to fund the government at current levels until April 28, 2017.
- Renew your membership/join us and gift your organization a year of training, advocacy and connections.
- Register early for our annual MicroLenders Forum – February 1, 2017 in San Francisco.
- The Goodies – This week’s highlight is that applications are being accepted for OFN’s Opportunity Fellows Program with a due date of December 23, 2016.
We Stand for an Inclusive Economy
As we consider a new Administration and Congress in the federal government, we believe that it’s more important than ever to work to create economic opportunity a reality for all entrepreneurs, to build wealth and strong California communities. After all, it’s our mission:
Our mission is to grow a healthy, vibrant, thriving environment for all entrepreneurs and start-up businesses by advancing the work of our statewide member network.
For our economy and a civil society to succeed, it is important to reach out to diverse constituencies, support an inclusive culture, ensure that relevant voices of all people directly affected are heard and that the economy taps the capabilities, creativity, and industriousness of all Americans. That’s why we signed on to American Sustainable Business Council’s #WeRespectAll campaign.
And Angela Blackwell Glover, the CEO of PolicyLink, writes that inclusion, respecting all, and programs and policies designed to benefit vulnerable groups, benefit all of society.
When the nation targets support where it is needed most – when we create the circumstances that allow those who have been left behind to participate and contribute fully – everyone wins. The corollary is also true: When we ignore the challenges faced by the most vulnerable among us, those challenges, magnified many times over, become a drag on economic growth, prosperity, and national well-being.
The importance of our sector’s work with women, veterans, immigrants, low-moderate income, and other populations cannot be undervalued in the face of our current political environment. We pledge to do all we can to respect all – will you?
The Gig Economy and The New Era Workforce, A CALED-CAMEO Webinar
Today, the number of small business is growing exponentially – and it’s not because typical small businesses are opening more doors. It’s because of the growing numbers of self-employed. The challenge is to these entrepreneurs manage their multiple income streams so that they can survive and thrive and achieve viable incomes – and ultimately create wealth.
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
1:00-2:00pm PST
Join us for a discussion about the gig economy, the new era workforce of self-employed entrepreneurs and how our field can support their success.
- Explore the data, trends, and opportunities with new research by the Federal Reserve Board.
- Understand The Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: Coaching, Capital, Connection to Markets, Climate – What are some of the solutions being implemented right now to create opportunity for all in the gig economy?
- What are some of the solutions of the future and what do economic developers need to know?
The Goodies
New opportunities for training, conference information, funding, scholarships, and other information that have crossed our desks since the last Must Know. I have posted a running tab of current Industry Goodies on the CAMEO website that lists items that were in past emails. Check it out to make sure you’re not missing anything, like grants whose deadlines are still alive!
Industry News: Linda McMahon is President-elect Trump’s choice to lead the lead the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Member Kudos: Congrats to Working Solutions who was named one of Bank of San Francisco’s two outstanding nonprofit organizations!
Member Kudos: Ann Sullivan, President of Madison Services Group, Inc. and CAMEO’s advocate in DC, won three Gold Stevie Awards including woman of the year, lifetime achievement, and PR campaign of the year at the 13th Annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business. WOW!
For Your Clients: The future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the health insurance marketplaces is an unknown. In California, a lot of confusion and misinformation about what this means for the state’s health insurance marketplace, Covered California, and enrollment options for 2017 is floating around. Small Business Majority sets the record straight on healthcare in California with a few key points to keep in mind. In a nutshell, if you signed up for 2017, you’re covered for 2017.
Local Gift Guides: If you have put together a gift guide of your clients, please email me with the link and I’ll disseminate it far and wide. For some inspiration, check out gift guides from Main Street Launch and Accion San Diego’s guides (Imperial County, Riverside County, San Diego County, and San Bernardino County.) Opportunity Fund and Centro Community Partners also have guides.
New Poll: Small Business Majority has a new poll on small business owners’ views on the rising costs of prescription drugs. Cliff note: they’re too high!
For Your Clients: Join Go-Biz for California Competes Tax Credit Workshops throughout the state during November and December. Webinars are also available. Each 45 minute workshop/webinar includes an overview of the program, program goals and evaluation criteria, and step-by-step instructions through the application process. All businesses are encouraged to attend. The online application can be accessed starting January 2, 2017.
Professional Development: Applications are being accepted for OFN’s Opportunity Fellows Program. The program will train a diverse cohort of CDFI leaders to create transformational change and address inequities in access to capital in LMI communities. The due date to apply for the 2017 cohort is December 23, 2016.
CAMEO Co-hosted Event: Along with the American Sustainable Business Council, CAMEO is co-hosting The High Road Workplace on January 12, 2017, from 5:30-7:45pm at New Resource Bank, 255 California Street, Suite 600, San Francisco. Join us for an in-depth discussion of the benefits and challenges of the High Road Workplace: What does it take? What is the payoff? And what incentives can accelerate this crucial transformation of the future of work?
For Your Clients, Webinars: Small Business Majority and the U.S. SBA host California Workplace Benefits Webinar: Healthy Employees, Healthy Bottom Line. This webinar series during open enrollment discussesg workforce and healthcare laws. They’ll also discuss programs that offer a competitive advantage for small businesses and help them retain and attract talented employees. Register for the webinars at 11:00am on December 27, 2016, January 10, 2017, and January 24, 2017.
Advocacy Event: CFED is hosting a Virtual Regional Listening and Strategy Session on January 4, 2017 at 11:00am PT. With the current political climate, now is the time to map out how we can work together most powerfully to advance economic opportunity at the local, state and federal levels while protecting all the progress that we’ve made so far. CFED wants to learn more about the priorities and perceived risks in our states and how you’d like to connect with your peers to move a cohesive, aligned set of strategies moving forward.
For Your Clients: Participate in LendingTree’s $50,000 Small Business Grant Contest. Eligible entries will be judged by a panel of Sponsor executives or judges who will select the winners on the basis of originality and creativity. For more information and eligibility requirements click on the link. The deadline is January 13, 2017.
Women’s Business Center Comments: The US SBA is seeking comments on this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) regarding the Women’s Business Center (WBC) Program. The deadline for comments is January 23, 2017.
Funding Opportunity: The Local Crowd pleased to announce an opportunity for up to 10 U.S. rural communities to become Demonstration Sites that use crowdfunding as an economic development tool. This will be the fourth and final RFP to become a demonstration site. Local economic development organizations are invited to respond to the Request For Proposals. These responders may be local or regional economic development groups, SBDCs, chambers of commerce, Main Street programs or other organizations. Deadline to respond is February 1, 2017.
Funding Opportunity: Opportunity Fund recently launched its Community Partner Program. The program can supplement the missions and programs of other non-profits by serving as a microloan program for those who do not have one and complementing the services of those who do. Partners receive several benefits, including an in-depth look at the credit and underwriting criteria and a 5% commission on every qualified referral booked for loans between $5,000 and $50,000. If you have questions or are interested, please contact Robert Zapata by email or phone 323.506.3529.
microTracker Relaunches: FIELD at the Aspen Institute is thrilled to announce the new microTracker.org, their nationwide database on US microenterprise development organizations. MicroTracker gives you the ability to explore, analyze, and compare data on microenterprise programs across the country. The new site is updated to give flexibility, better navigation, and more ability for downloading analysis.